Plymouth Housing will receive $5 million to provide permanent
supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness in Seattle; $3
million will go to the Arlington Community Foundation to increase access
to affordable housing for low-income families and veterans
The gift will help create additional housing units and support
services in both regions for thousands of community members
Beginning today, Amazon will also match employee contributions to
select charities addressing housing and homelessness in its HQ regions
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 11, 2019--
(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Since 2016, Amazon has made in-kind and cash donations to
its Seattle nonprofit partners Mary’s Place and FareStart, including a
first-of-its-kind family shelter within an Amazon building for Mary’s
Place and classroom and restaurant space for FareStart’s job training
program for people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty. The
collective value of these donations, including annual rent, is more than
$130 million, with Mary’s Place alone receiving $100 million in in-kind
and cash donations over the next 10 years.
Today, Amazon announced an initial $8 million total donation to Plymouth
Housing and the Arlington Community Foundation, based in the company’s
two headquarters regions – Seattle and Arlington, VA. The gifts will
support both nonprofits in their missions to improve the quality of life
for the most vulnerable residents by increasing access to additional
housing units for families, veterans, and single adults experiencing
chronic homelessness or in need of affordable housing. In addition to
these initial gifts – $5 million to Plymouth Housing and $3 million to
the Arlington Community Foundation – the company will match employee
donations through September 30, 2019 to select charities that address
housing and homelessness in both regions.
“As the city of Seattle continues to look for solutions to homelessness,
this generous donation from Amazon will help us meet the immediate needs
of thousands of people in the coming years,” said Paul Lambros, CEO of
Plymouth Housing. “Chronic homelessness is a disabling condition and a
complex issue requiring the attention and support of the whole
community. We’re very grateful to Amazon for continuing to step up in
addressing this pressing need.”
“Since 2000, Arlington County has lost nearly 90% of its market
affordable housing stock. Amazon’s donation is a significant investment
in our community and will support critical issues like housing
affordability that are important to Northern Virginians,” said Jennifer
Owens, President and CEO, Arlington Community Foundation. “Our veterans
and working families deserve an appropriate standard of living that is
healthy, safe, and makes for a vibrant community. This gift is a great
contribution toward that cause.”
“Homelessness and affordable housing are real concerns in Seattle and
the Washington, DC region – as neighbors in both, we made these
donations to Plymouth Housing and the Arlington Community Foundation
because of their work and progress on housing stability and helping
families improve their quality of life,” said Jay Carney, SVP, Global
Corporate Affairs at Amazon. “We believe this gift can help offer
additional housing and support services for our neighbors in need. In
addition, together with our employees, we will donate to nonprofits
located in Washington State, Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia,
whose missions support affordable housing and people experiencing
homelessness.”
Beginning today, Amazon also launched an employee match campaign to
encourage employees to donate to 20 select nonprofits addressing housing
and homelessness in the company’s two headquarter regions. Amazon will
match the donation one-for-one, up to $5 million, through September 30.
The select nonprofits include:
Plymouth Housing provides permanent housing to single men and women
experiencing chronic homelessness, those sleeping on the streets and in
cars while dealing with significant physical or behavioral health
conditions. Amazon’s $5 million donation to Plymouth Housing will help
provide significant support to the organization, which pairs permanent
homes with services to address physical disabilities, mental health, or
chemical dependency, helping prevent residents from experiencing
homelessness again. Plymouth serves over 1,000 formerly homeless Seattle
residents each year in 14 local apartment buildings.
The Arlington Community Foundation was established in 1991 to serve as a
permanent community endowment built by the gifts and charitable legacies
of individuals, families, and businesses for the betterment of Arlington
County. As a grant maker, convener, and sponsor of special initiatives,
the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits,
encourage better understanding of the needs of Arlingtonians, address
the most critical issues of our time, and to ensure that our community
provides opportunity for everyone. Its focus areas include homelessness
prevention, education, arts, youth, and families in need.
About Amazon in the Community
Amazon is committed to helping all children and young adults, especially
those from underrepresented and underserved communities, have the
resources and skills they need to build their best
future. Amazon focuses on building long-term, innovative, and high
impact programs that leverage Amazon’s unique assets and culture.
Initiatives include Amazon Future Engineer, designed to inspire and
excite 10 million children and young adults from underrepresented
communities each year to pursue an education in computer science, as
well as programs that support immediate needs, including fighting
childhood hunger by providing access to millions of breakfasts through
its nationwide Rise and Smile program, addressing family homelessness
through donations and housing a homeless shelter in
its Seattle headquarters, and global relief efforts for people in need
following natural disasters.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than
competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational
excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping,
personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle
Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa
are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more
information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190611005363/en/
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.
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